The method of plotting a spatial distribution pattern of the total electron content in the region of artificial airglow of the ionosphere

I.A. Nasyrov^a,b∗, D.A. Kogogin^a∗∗, A.V. Shindin^b∗∗∗, S.M. Grach ^{b∗∗∗∗}, R.V. Zagretdinov^{a∗∗∗∗∗}, A.B. Beletsky^{c∗∗∗∗∗∗}, V.V. Emeljanov^{a∗∗∗∗∗∗∗}

^aKazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008 Russia

^bLobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russia cInstitute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, 664033 Russia

E-mail: ^∗inasyrov@kpfu.ru, ^∗∗dkogogin@kpfu.ru, ^∗∗∗shindin@rf.unn.ru, ^∗∗∗∗sgrach@rf.unn.ru, ^{∗∗∗∗∗}Renat.Zagretdinov@kpfu.ru, ^{∗∗∗∗∗∗}beletsky@mail.iszf.irk.ru, ^{∗∗∗∗∗∗∗}evv960722@gmail.com

Received December 12, 2020

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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DOI: 10.26907/2541-7746.2021.1.59-76

For citation: Nasyrov I.A., Kogogin D.A., Shindin A.V., Grach S.M., Zagretdinov R.V., Beletsky A.B., Emeljanov V.V. The method of plotting a spatial distribution pattern of the total electron content in the region of artificial airglow of the ionosphere. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya  Fiziko-Matematicheskie  Nauki,  2021,  vol.  163, no. 1, pp. 59–76. doi: 10.26907/2541-7746.2021.1.59-76. (In Russian)

Abstract

The method of plotting a spatial distribution pattern of the total electron content (TEC) in the region of artificial airglow of the ionosphere in the red line of the optical spectrum (λ = 630 nm) was developed during the experiments on disturbances of the ionosphere by powerful radio emission of the SURA facility. To test the method, a measurement session on August 29, 2016 from 18:40 to 20:10 UTC, i.e., when the ionospheric and weather conditions varied slightly and allowed simultaneous optical measurements of the artificial airglow of the ionosphere from two spatially separated sites (Vasilsursk near the SURA facility and Magnitka lying ∼ 170 km East of the SURA facility), was selected. As a result of the simultaneous optical measurements, the area of artificial airglow was plotted in a three-dimensional projection and the spatial position of the disturbed region of the ionosphere stimulated by the powerful radio emission of the SURA facility was determined. The method of plotting a spatial pattern of the electron density distribution in the disturbed region of the ionosphere is based on a joint analysis of variations in the TEC on the radio paths “navigation satellite – ground receiving site” for a number of receiving stations of the global navigation satellite systems located within a radius of ∼ 160 km from the SURA facility. By using this method, the values of electron density variations for different spatial cross-sections of the disturbed region of the ionosphere can be obtained. The joint analysis of the experimental data carried out with the help of the method under consideration showed that in the field of the powerful radio wave a disturbed region with the complex structure formed along the magnetic field lines. Plasma inhomogeneities with an increased electron density occurred at the boundaries of the region with a reduced electron concentration. The difference ∆Ne/Ne at the boundaries of the disturbed region, i.e., between the regions with increased and decreased electron density, might reach 10%. The size of the disturbed region is l⊥ ≈ 45 ÷ 60 km across and l|| ≥ 70 km along the Earth's magnetic field lines.

Keywords:  ionosphere, GNSS, total electron content, artificial ionospheric inhomogeneities, powerful short-wave radio emission, SURA facility, stimulated airglow of ionosphere

Acknowledgments. The experiments were carried out at the SURA facility. The SURA facility was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation as part of the federal targeted program “Research and development in priority areas of the scientific and technological complex of Russia for 2014–2020” (project ID RFMEFI62020X0003, agreement no. 075-15-2020-529). The method for processing experimental data was developed with the support of the Russian Science Foundation: processing of the optical measurements – project no. 20-12-00197; joint analysis of the synchronous measurements of TEC variations and artificial airglow, visualization of the results, preparation of the publication text – project no. 19–72–00072.

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